Kiss a Fish & See Netflix’s new N1 Series BELOW

Founders turns the familiar destination tourism campaign into an unexpected invitation to watch BELOW, Netflix’s six-part thriller, which premiered October 8. By October 10, BELOW had reached No. 1 on FlixPatrol’s worldwide Netflix TV chart.

The centerpiece is a digital billboard in New York’s Times Square. It features star Josh Hartnett as Calvin Penney, a fisherman from a small Newfoundland town terrorized by a mysterious sea creature, under the line: “Visit Newfoundland and Labrador. All our fishermen look like this. Don’t yours?” The execution carries the official Newfoundland and Labrador tourism logo, with the province’s approval.

The agency’s out-of-home executions pair scenes from the series with playful pitches under “Visit Newfoundland & Labrador”.

The campaign also invited audiences to get “Screeched In,” paying homage to Newfoundland’s welcome tradition by kissing a cod. From Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show to bar-goers joining Josh Hartnett, the activation brought a local ritual into the series launch.

“Seeing Josh Hartnett in front of the billboard and then seeing the media call him Newfoundland’s unofficial tourism ambassador is when the idea came to life beyond the ad,” say Katie Reid and Kristin Mizushima, creative directors at Founders.

The Hartnett execution has drawn playful reactions from local fishermen. Hartnett also shared whale-watching stories and demonstrated the local accent during his appearance.

“We didn’t want to sell fear. We wanted to sell Newfoundland. I love a copy campaign, and in this one each line is an invitation, a dare and a joke at the same time,” says Checha Agost Carreño, Co-Founder & CCO of Founders.

A series where the place is the star 

Below was created by Jesse McKeown and filmed mainly in Brigus South, Pouch Cove and St. John’s. Charlie Heaton and Mackenzie Davis co-star, and the series features Newfoundland talent including Willow Kean, Natasha Henstridge and Mary Walsh, writer Perry Chafe, director Stephen Dunn and producer Chris Hatcher.